Police: Man assaults girlfriend because of 'overcooked meal'

AUSTIN, Texas (KEYE) - A 29-year-old man is facing charges after police said he physically assaulted his girlfriend after she overcooked his meal.

Austin police were called out to an apartment complex at 2823 E MLK Jr BLVD in East Austin Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018, after the victim called the police to say her boyfriend had just assaulted her.

The affidavit states the victim told them she and Joshua Bridgers, 29, had an argument after she overcooked dinner. She told police she went to bed and attempted to fall asleep when Bridgers grabbed the food and threw it on her while she was in bed and dumped water on her. The victim said she sat up on the edge of the bed when Bridgers threw an object toward her, missing her and hitting the wall behind her.

The affidavit states the victim looked over and saw the object was a kitchen knife with a silver metallic blade of approximately 6-inches in length. The victim, fearing for her life, said she got out of bed an tried to get past Bridgers when he allegedly shoved her against the bedroom door and forcefully put his left hand around her neck.

The victim said she fell to the ground when Bridgers got on top of her and strangled her. The affidavit states Bridgers called the victim various names "and told her to hang herself off the apartment balcony."

The victim said Bridgers got off of her and she managed to make her way to the bedroom closet, but as she was walking in, she said Bridgers slammed her hand and leg in the closet door, causing the door to come off its hinges. The victim was able to change and leave the apartment before flagging down UTPD officers in the 1900 block of Congress.

When officers met with Bridgers at the apartment, he told police he did not know why officers were there and said nothing had happened between him and the victim. The suspect had scratch marks received by the victim during the assault.

Inside the apartment, officers noted damage to the bedroom door and saw the closet door was off its hinges. The kitchen knife was also found lying in the bedroom near the wall where the victim had described it. The knife had actually been thrown with such force that the blade was broken in half. The victim confirmed to police that was the knife Bridgers had thrown at her. Police said had the knife hit the victim in the chest or head, it would have caused serious bodily injury or death.

Bridgers is now charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a 2nd-degree felony.